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← The Cathedrals Group of Universities

2024-07-31-accounts

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

Annual Report and Accounts

31 July 2024

Charity Registration Number 801726

Contents

Reports

Reference and administrative information 1
Executive Committee report 2
Independent auditor’s report 8
Accounts
Statement of financial activities 13
Balance sheet 14
Principal accounting policies 15
Notes to the accounts 18

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

Reference and administrative information

Executive Committee Professor Jackie Dunne (Chair)
Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard (Vice Chair until 18
June 2024)
Professor Julie Mennell (Vice-Chair)
Professor Jane Longmore (Resigned 18 June 2024)
Anthony McClaran
Professor Claire Ozanne
Professor Sarah Greer (Appointed 18 June
2024)
Paul Barber, Director of Catholic Education
Service
Garry Neave, HE Adviser, Church of England
(Resigned 18 June 2024)
Sarah Shreeve Education Adviser, Church of
England (Appointed 1 September 2024)
Registered/Principal office University of Cumbria
Fusehill Street
Carlisle
CA1 2HH
Charity registration number 801726
Auditor Saint & Co
Sterling House
Wavell Drive
Rosehill
Carlisle
CA1 2SA
Bankers NatWest Bank
High Street
Lincoln
LN2 1AZ
Solicitors Lee Bolton Monier-Williams
1 The Sanctuary
Westminster
London
SW1P 3JT

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

1

Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2024

The Executive Committee presents the report and accounts of The Cathedrals Group of Universities for the year ended 31 July 2024. Audited accounts are required under the terms of the Council’s constitution.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on pages 15-17 of the attached accounts and the requirements of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

The Council has adopted an abbreviated Executive Committee report as it qualifies as a small charity.

Governance, structure, and management

Constitution

The Council is governed by a constitution agreed by the Charity Commission, and formally adopted a new constitution on 23 September 2023, amendments in respect of the latter having previously been agreed by the Commission. The Council is also a registered charity (charity registration number 801726).

Organisation

The policy and general management of the affairs of the Council is directed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee consists of the Chair, two Vice-Chairs as per the previous constitution, and one Vice-Chair under the new constitution with effect from 18 June 2024 and three Vice Chancellors elected by the Members representing the range of Members. The Director of the Catholic Education Service and the Chief Education Officer of the Church of England or their appointees, are entitled to attend.

Representation

Membership of the Council is open to the designated Vice-Chancellor of each University in full membership. One nominee from each of the Catholic Education Service, the National Society (of the Church of England), and the Methodist Church in Britain or their appointees, are entitled to attend. Associate membership may be granted to such bodies as are willing and able to subscribe to the principal aims and activities of the Council.

The Members elect the Chair of the Executive Committee and Council to serve for a period of two years or such longer period as the Members may determine.

The members of the Executive Committee are also the trustees of the Council for the purposes of charity law. They are listed on page 1 and have all served in office throughout the year and to the date of this report except where stated.

Key management personnel

The key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running, and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis comprise the members of the Executive Committee.

No member of the Executive Committee receives any remuneration from the charity in respect of their duties.

2

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2024

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Statement of responsibilities of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is responsible for preparing the annual report and accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Executive Committee, as the trustees of the Council (the “charity”), to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity at the year end and of its income and expenditure for the period. In preparing the accounts, the members of the Executive Committee are required to:

The Executive Committee is responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the charity’s constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

When setting the objectives and planning the work of the Council for the year and its future activities, members of the Executive Committee have considered the Charity Commission general guidance on public benefit.

3

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2024

Governance, structure, and management (continued)

Risk management

The Executive Committee has assessed the major risks to which the Council is exposed, in particular those relate to the operations and finances of the Council and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.

As a membership organisation whose income is primarily subscriptions, the major risk facing the Council is the loss of members. The financial consequences of this are mitigated in two respects: the low level of fixed costs with most expenditure being more discretionary spend; and the level of reserves carried to allow activity to be transitioned to a smaller membership base.

Objectives and activities

Overview

The principal objectives of the Council are to advance and develop higher education in the Church Universities, Universities with Church Foundations and other Universities admitted into membership of the Cathedrals Group and to support the Churches’ continuing role in higher education.

In support of these objectives several meetings were held during the year on both a face-to-face basis and online. The Council meetings were held on 22[nd] September 2023 online, in person at the University of Chester on 16[th] March 2024 and in person at the AGM and Council meeting on 18[th] June 2024 at Church House London.

Executive meetings were held online on 31[st] October 2023 and 8[th] February and 7[th] June 2024.

Personnel

Professor Jackie Dunne, Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham Newman University served as Chair in 2023/24 having been elected at the 2023 AGM. Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard (Vice-Chancellor of the University of Roehampton) and Professor Julie Mennell (Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cumbria) served as Vice-Chairs. Anthony McClaran, Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University and Professor Claire Ozanne (Vice-Chancellor of Liverpool Hope University) continued to serve as Executive Members. In view of her retirement as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chichester at the end of the 23/24 academic year, Professor Jane Longmore who had been a long-standing member of the Executive, stepped down at the June 2024 AGM when Professor Sarah Greer was elected to the Executive. The Reverend Garry Neave also stepped down from the Executive at the 2024 AGM in view of his retirement from his post at the National Society of the Church of England in July 2024.

Julie Thompson, Executive Assistant from Professor Julie Mennell’s office, provided administrative support to the Cathedrals Group during the year with the University of Cumbria’s Finance Department supporting the management of the Cathedrals Group accounts and audit. The Executive further agreed that the role of Pam Tatlow as Policy Adviser to the Cathedrals Group should be continued on a part-time consultancy basis during the 2023/24 academic and financial year.

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

4

Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2024

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Infrastructure

The Executive has considered financial statements provided on a regular basis by the University of Cumbria’s Finance team and both the Executive and Council had previously resolved that the Group’s Choirs’ Festival would be held on a biennial rather than an annual basis. Accordingly, the Choirs Festival scheduled for 2024 was hosted by the University of Chester. The future resourcing of the Cathedrals Group had been the subject of a formal consultation with Members in 2023 and in March 2024 Members agreed that subscriptions should continue to be calculated on a banding basis related to institutional income.

Sub-Committees

The Cathedrals Group’s Sub-Committees continued to be pro-active in 2023-24.

Education Sub-Committee

The Education Sub-Committee has been chaired by Dr Jane Chambers, Head of the School of Education at St Mary’s University following the decision of Professor Peter Flew to step down as Chair after many years’ service. Sue Cronin, Director of Accreditation and Quality Assurance in the School of Education at Liverpool Hope University, has also served as Vice-Chair in 2023-24. The Sub-Committee held four meetings which focused on recruitment, SEND qualifications (including an invitation from the Church of England Education Service to work with the latter on NPQ SEND provision), the DfE’s new ITE curriculum and Early Career Framework and Ofsted inspections. In this respect a special meeting was held with Ofsted’s Senior HMI for Teacher Development with whom the Sub-Committee has continued to liaise. Subsequently, the Sub-Committee met to draft a response to Ofsted’s ‘Big Listen’ exercise with a final response submitted on behalf of the Cathedrals Group Council.

A Mentoring Network focusing on the mentoring of both ITE students and early career teachers, has continued to meet during the year.

Research and Enterprise Sub-Committee

Professor Emile Bjosen, Director of Research and Innovation from the University of Winchester, continued to serve as Chair of the Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee met six times providing an opportunity for members to share institutional expertise and consider responses to UKRI consultations including in respect of the Research Excellence Framework (REF). In addition, the Sub-Committee met with UKRI representatives with the latter encouraging Sub-Committee members to continue to engage with UKRI including applying for REF panels. In response to a request, the Policy Adviser submitted a collection of case-studies to UKRI which illustrated the impact and value of research and knowledge exchange in Cathedrals Group Universities with their particular focus on the public sector including health and education, the arts and creative sector and their work with and for local communities and commercial organisations.

Networks focusing on Knowledge Exchange and Doctoral Schools have continued to meet in the 2023/24 academic year.

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

5

Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2024

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Policy and Activity

The University of Chester generously supported and hosted the Cathedrals Group Choirs Festival on the weekend of the 15-17[th] March 2024. This provided an opportunity for 10 university choirs of different sizes to meet and sing together and with the Chester Mystery Players at an evening concert in Chester Cathedral. Cathedrals Group Chaplains met over the weekend with a programme devised by the Senior Chaplain at Chester, which was much appreciated by participants while Vice-Chancellors met for a Council meeting, dinner and to attend the evening concert.

In terms of policy, the Cathedrals Group has been active in raising issues of importance to its Member Universities and students in the public domain and with Ministers and Shadow Ministers. This has included correspondence with the then Schools Minister, the Rt Hon Damian Hind MP and the then Shadow Schools Minister, Catherine McKinnell MP. A joint dinner with GuildHE was held in October 2023 with Matt Western MP, who was then the Shadow Higher Education Minister. Written evidence was submitted to an Inquiry into the Office of Students undertaken by the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee. The Committee quoted the Group’s evidence in its final report, the conclusions of which reflected the views of the Cathedrals Group Council. Following the election of a new UK Government in July 2024, the Chair of The Cathedrals Group wrote to the new Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP and Baroness Jaqui Smith outlining the Cathedrals Group’s priorities for the new administration.

Submissions were also made to Office of Students’ consultations on its proposals to regulate new Freedom of Speech duties.

Notwithstanding its historic contribution to the delivery of teacher education and professional development, the extent of the Cathedrals Group’s contribution to the public sector workforce has been confirmed by the expansion of courses related to health, medicine, paramedic provision and other professions which support the public sector infrastructure and upon which local communities as well as the commercial and for-profit sectors depend. The March Council meeting heard from David Kernohan, Deputy Editor of WonkHE and Professor Claire Taylor, Vice-Chancellor of Marjon, who emphasised the importance of this contribution including in respect of social cohesion and social justice.

In addition, the Cathedrals Group Council has considered the challenges facing all universities in terms of the unit of resource, the continuing bureaucracy and costs associated with a complex regulatory environment and the significant challenges facing students for whom the real value of maintenance loans and support has declined significantly. Notwithstanding these challenges, Cathedrals Group universities have continued to support students with hardship funds, develop new courses in STEM and significantly expanded the provision of degree apprenticeships. In line with its stated ethos, the Group remains committed to widening participation, social justice and ensuring that higher education is accessible to all whatever their age and background.

Financial review

Total income amounted to £70,000 (2022/23 – £69,096), which related entirely to membership subscriptions. Total expenditure amounted to £64,698 (2022/23 – £51,464).

The net movement in funds was a surplus of £5,302 (2022/23 – surplus of £17,632). The total net assets at the year end were £143,534 (2022/23 – £138,232).

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

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Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2024

Reserves policy

Sufficient free reserves are maintained to enable the Council to meet any unexpected demands for its services and to finance projects undertaken at short notice, broadly defined as equivalent to an average year’s expenditure. Should its reserves be insufficient, additional resources would be provided by the universities (delete and colleges) that are members of the Council. At the balance sheet date, the free reserves were £143,534 (2022/23 – £138,232) and so in excess of this policy. It is anticipated that the surplus will be used to fund future projects.

True and Fair override

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the accounts and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and the relevant version of the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

Future plans

The Cathedrals Group plan to continue to support the advancement of public education in its universities in 2024-25.

Signed on behalf of the Executive Committee on 28.11.2024

Professor Jackie Dunne

Chair

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

7

Independent auditor’s report 31 July 2024

Independent auditor’s report to the Executive Committee The Cathedrals Group of Universities

We have audited the financial statements of The Cathedrals Group of Universities (the “charity”) for the year ended 31 July 2024, which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the principal accounting policies and the related notes. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the accounts:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the accounts section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the accounts in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the accounts, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the accounts is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the accounts are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The Executive Committee is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the accounts and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the accounts does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

8

Independent auditor’s report 31 July 2024

Other information (continued)

In connection with our audit of the accounts, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the accounts or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the accounts or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of the Executive Committee

As explained more fully in the Statement of responsibilities of the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee is responsible for the preparation of the accounts and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Executive Committee determine is necessary to enable the preparation of accounts that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the accounts, the Executive Committee is responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Executive Committee either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the accounts

We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having an effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the accounts as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

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Independent auditor’s report 31 July 2024

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the accounts (continued)

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

We assessed the susceptibility of the charity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

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Independent auditor’s report 31 July 2024

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

(continued)

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the trustees and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Other matters

Your attention is drawn to the fact the charity has prepared financial statements in accordance with “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)”(as amended) in preference to the Accounting and reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has now been withdrawn.

This has been done in order for the financial statements to provide a true and fair view in accordance with current Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

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Independent auditor’s report 31 July 2024

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s Executive Committee, as a body, in accordance with part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s Executive Committee those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s Executive Committee as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Saint & Co Statutory Auditor Sterling House Wavell Drive Rosehill Carlisle CA1 2SA

Date: 29 November 2024

Saint & Co is eligible to act as an auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

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Statement of financial activities Year to 31 July 2024

Unrestricted funds

Notes 2024
£		 2023
£
Income from
Charitable activities
Advancement of public education in Church universities
and colleges
1
Total income
Expenditure on
Charitable activities
Advancement of public education in Church universities
and colleges
2
Total expenditure
Net income and net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Balances brought forward at 1 August
Balances carried forward at 31 July		 70,000 69,096
70,000 69,096
64,698 51,464
64,698 51,464
5,302
138,232		 17,632
120,600
143,534 138,232

There is no difference between the net movement in funds stated above, and the historical cost equivalent.

All of the charity’s activities derived from continuing operations during the above two financial periods.

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

13

Balance sheet 31 July 2024

2024 2023
Notes £ £
Current assets
Debtors 5 0 1,092
Cash at bank and in hand 147,416 145,178
147,416 146,270
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year 6 (3,882) (8,038)
Net current assets /total net assets 143,534 138,232
The funds of the charity:
Unrestricted income funds
General fund 143,534 138,232
Total funds 143,534 138,232

Approved by the Executive Committee and signed on its behalf by:

Professor Jackie Dunne Chair

Approved on: 28.11.2024

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

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Principal accounting policies 31 July 2024

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the accounts are laid out below.

Basis of preparation

These accounts have been prepared for the year to 31 July 2024.

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policies below or the notes to these accounts.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The accounts have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a true and fair view. This departure has involved following the Statement of Recommended Practice for charities applying FRS 102 rather than the version of the Statement of Recommended Practice which is referred to in the Regulations but which has since been withdrawn.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The charity is a registered charity in England and Wales and is unincorporated.

The accounts are presented in sterling and are rounded to the nearest pound.

Assessment of going concern

The trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in preparing these accounts. The trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period of one year from the date of approval of these accounts.

The trustees of the charity have concluded that there are no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees are of the opinion that the charity will have sufficient resources to meet its liabilities as they fall due.

Income recognition

Income is recognised in the period in which the charity has entitlement to the income, the amount of income can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the income will be received.

Income comprises donations, membership subscriptions and bank interest.

Donations are recognised when the charity has confirmation of both the amount and settlement date. In the event of donations pledged but not received, the amount is accrued for where the receipt is considered probable. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.

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The Cathedrals Group of Universities

Principal accounting policies 31 July 2024

Income recognition (continued)

Membership subscriptions are calculated on an institutional basis, and by reference to student numbers, plus a flat rate, and are accounted for in the period to which they relate. Subscription rates are set annually.

Expenditure recognition

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Expenditure on the advancement of public education in Church universities and colleges includes such expenditure as:

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and is recognised when there is a legal and constructive obligation to make a payment and includes any attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.

Cash flow statement

The accounts do not include a cash flow statement because the charity, as a small reporting entity, is exempt from the requirement to prepare such a statement under the Charities SORP (FRS 102) Update Bulletin 1.

Debtors

Debtors are recognised at their settlement amount, less any provision for non-recoverability. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand represents such accounts and instruments that are available on demand or have a maturity of less than three months from the date of acquisition.

Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised when there is an obligation at the balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are recognised at the amount the charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt.

Funds structure

Unrestricted funds comprise those funds which the Executive Committee are free to use in accordance with the charitable objects of the Council.

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The Cathedrals Group of Universities

Principal accounting policies 31 July 2024

Accounting estimates and judgements

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the Executive Committee are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

The Executive Committee consider there were no significant judgements made in preparing the financial statements and that there are no key sources of estimation uncertainty.

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The Cathedrals Group of Universities

Notes to the accounts 31 July 2024

Charitable activities
2024
£		 2023
£
Advancement of public education in Church
universities and colleges
Membership subscriptions		 70,000 69,096
70,000 69,096
Cost of charitable activities
2024
£
41,745
9,958
5,879
4,416
2,700
64,698		 2023
£
Advancement of public education in Church
universities and colleges
Accommodation, staff support and office
expenses
Choir Festival Contribution
Conferences and meetings
Website & Brand Development
Auditor’s remuneration		 38,250
0
5,030
2,184
6,000
51,464

3 Taxation

The Cathedrals Group of Universities (operating as The Cathedrals Group) is a registered charity and therefore is not liable to taxation on income or gains derived from its charitable activities, as it falls within the various exemptions available to registered charities.

4 Executive Committee remuneration, expenses and transactions with Members

The members of the Executive Committee consider that they comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day to day basis.

No member of the Executive Committee, or any persons connected with them, received any remuneration from the Council during the year (2022/23 – £nil). No expenses were reimbursed to any members of the Executive Committee during the year (2022/23 – £nil). All travel and subsistence expenses associated with the business of the Executive Committee are met by the members’ institutions.

Most of the members of the Executive Committee are employed by universities and colleges who are Members of the charity. Membership fees to these organisations are charged on an arm’s length basis. Some of these organisations also provide administrative and other services to the charity. During the year to 31 July 2024, £16,000 was incurred for administration costs, which was payable to the University of Cumbria (2022/23 – £16,000).

There were no employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000.

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

18

Notes to the accounts 31 July 2024

5 Debtors

2024
£		 2023
£
Other debtors and prepayments 0 1,092
0 1,092
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 2024
£		 2023
£
Accruals
Creditor		 3,882
0		 6,000
2,038
3,882 8,038

6 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Other than the transactions disclosed in note 4, there are no further related party transactions to disclose.

The Cathedrals Group of Universities

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